Posts Tagged ‘whether-or-not’

There’s a certain inevitability that comes along with critiquing one of the “classics”; an act so well known that their very name rings throughout the air, from East to West and North to South of Heaven. What’s inevitable is that at some point during their new work, it starts to sound familiar, lacking any real drive. Whether or not this is countered with throwback performances can be the key factor in making an eleventh record jump or trip. Slayer are certainly not jumping, it can’t be expected with the loss of a man so key to their success.At this point, they may need a minute to check themselves because Repentless is definitely a toe stub of a step forward. The middle tracks of this album, “When The Stillness Comes” and “Chasing Death” are possibly the least attention grabbing eight minutes of 2015. King’s riffs here sound like they’ve been played through a surrogate, not entirely capable of playing as fast as the moment requires. Even one of his unique leads fails to get going, stuttering before failing to take off whatsoever. The stillness never leaves until the albums last track, which is probably only a touch more memorable than it’s preceding cuts due to the gleefully sassy nature of it’s title. The material all stalls because of riffs that go on for fucking ever. Don’t even bother with the intro track. Seriously. King is in a glass house when it comes to the extent of his song writing skills and he barely makes it out of this album alive because of it; only thanks to a couple of magic grooves and time changes into breakneck speeds does he remain with head above water. There is genuinely nothing new here and so be it. If Slayer are going to continue then this is probably the best thing that can happen. Get the first one outta the way and charge forward. To counter all of the bashing, Repentless doesn’t sound totally shit. Every cymbal and bit of kit rolls clearly and clearly and Araya’s bass is audible enough to remind everyone listening what it is he does between verses. The guitars are pretty flat and the tone is set from beginning to end of the record but Kerry King. Again, at this point it stops being that big a deal as it’s already clear where the albums strength comes from and it is not the ingenuity or skill on display here. It’s that it’s a Slayer album. People will find reason to continue to play this, long after being fully aware of how little this album has changed absolutely anybodies reaction to Slayer, regardless of their circumstances. Except for when Araya belts out a call to spark up – “Let’s get high!”. Pretty fucking funny. The most memorable part about the album for quite a few, would be a safe bet. Next time around might be different if King gives Holt something to do. Probably not. It’ll be a Slayer album. Slayer’s Repentless gets… 2.5/5

Jo Hale, Getty Images / Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com (2) Bullet for My Valentine will headline the 2013 HardDrive Live tour, which is set to kick off in the coming months. Joining BFMV on the run will be Halestorm as main support and special guests Young Guns . The timing is of the tour is perfect for the Welsh rockers, who will release their fourth studio album, ‘ Temper Temper ,’ on Feb. 12. The disc has already spawned the title track and their latest single ‘ Riot ,’ which should give the band plenty of momentum by the time they arrive stateside. Halestorm are riding high off a hot 2012, and may reach further heights when they find out on Feb. 10 whether or not they’ve won their first Grammy Award. The group’s latest album, ‘ The Strange Case Of… ,’ has kept them on the road over the past year and the disc’s lead single, ‘ Love Bites (So Do I) ,’ is the track that has them in Grammy contention for the Best Hard Rock / Metal Performance . Young Guns have spent the last year beginning to prove themselves outside of their native U.K. The group, who also has North American shows booked with 10 Years , has been promoting their ‘Bones’ album and seeing their star rise thanks to the album’s title track. Dates for the HardDrive Live Tour are expected to be revealed next week at the tour’s website . [button href=”http://loudwire.com/bullet-for-my-valentine-riot-video/” title=”Next: Bullet for My Valentine Debut ‘Riot’ Video” align=”center”]

Facebook: Three Days Grace Three Days Grace definitely shocked fans Wednesday (Jan. 9) with the news that they were replacing frontman Adam Gontier with My Darkest Days ‘ Matt Walst after Gontier resigned from the band due to a “non life threatening health issue.” In his own letter to fans, Gontier stated, “After twenty years of being part of an ever evolving band, I have been inspired by life, to move on and to continue to evolve on my own terms,” suggesting that his decision was more about starting a new chapter than a health concern. Gontier has been not only the voice of the band, but arguably the group’s most recognizable face, as well. Given that the group had already committed to a co-headlining run with Shinedown this spring, it’s understandable that they would want to honor that commitment, but the question remains of whether or not it was the right decision. Our Readers Poll today asks whether or not you think Three Days Grace should continue without Gontier still part of the band. There are several schools of thought on this. One is that the band members have every right to want to continue to play their music and given Gontier’s sudden departure, to stop now would not offer themselves or the fans any sense of closure. Plus, at present, the group has only listed Walst’s participation as “temporary,” meaning a decision on whether or not to continue beyond their current tour is not a definite and these dates could either be their farewell or a springboard to a fresh start. However, It could also be argued that Gontier’s voice is indelibly tied to the band and by playing (or even potentially recording) without him, they risk altering how fans view their legacy. Then there’s the idea that maybe it’s too early to render a judgment as to whether this was the right decision to continue playing or not until Walst is given a chance to play for audiences and fans can have some time to sit with it. So what is your take on the Three Days Grace singer situation? Let us know your position by voting in the Readers Poll below: Sorry, you need to have javascript running to see this poll. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/new-anthrax-guitarist-readers-poll/” title=”Previous Readers Poll: New Anthrax Guitarist” align=”center”]

Facebook: Finch Finch were one of the more promising bands of the early 2000s, but label and band issues eventually led to their split in 2010. However, the group members have been talking of late and decided to reunite to pay tribute to their stellar major label debut, ‘What It Is to Burn,’ which is celebrating its tenth anniversary. The disc spawned three singles, led by the outstanding title track and followed by ‘New Beginnings’ and ‘Letters to You.’ The ‘What It Is to Burn’ single recently placed at No. 47 on Loudwire’s Top 21st Century Hard Rock Songs list. However, the group had trouble maintaining that momentum after their breakout disc. In 2006 they went on hiatus so that the band members could pursue other projects, but a year later the discussion of a Finch DVD got the group talking again and they decided to reform. The band started showcasing new material and released a four-song EP with plans to follow with a full-length. Unfortunately, a period of inactivity followed and that third studio album never came to fruition. Recently, the band members have been more active in posting material on their Facebook page, leading to speculation that something was in the works. They confirmed their reunion in a posting that read: Finch will be reuniting to commemorate the 10th anniversary of ‘What It Is to Burn’ on Feb. 1, 2013 at the Glasshouse in Pomona, Calif. We are excited to play ‘What It Is to Burn’ from front to back in its entirety. Ticket information will be released soon. We’ll see you at the show! Love Finch, Nate Barcalow, Randy Strohmeyer, Alex Linares, Daniel Wonacott and Alex Pappas It is not known whether or not Finch will continue beyond the one date.

Mary Ouellette, shewillshootyou.com Here’s a look at the top stories of the day on Loudwire and around the Web: Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx talks to us about Motley Crue’s new single ‘Sex,’ tweeting, Dave Mustaine, the future of Sixx: A.M. + much more. [ Loudwire ] Slipknot percussionist and creative force Shawn ‘Clown’ Crahan says that Paul Gray ‘will be part of the next record.’ See what Crahan means right here. [ Loudwire ] We’ve all seen people get kicked out of shows, but it’s even sweeter when a band is the one to drop the axe. Check out 10 Amazing Concert Ejections Caught on Video. [ Loudwire ] Curious as to whether or not Led Zeppelin will reunite? Find out how the band handled questions on the subject. [ Ultimate Classic Rock ] Songstress Fiona Apple has been released on bail after her Texas arrest for hash possession. [ Diffuser.fm ] My Dying Bride and radio goddess Full Metal Jackie are set to premiere the band’s song ‘A Tapestry Scorned’ this weekend. [ Rock Music Report ]

Ethan Miller / Chris Trotman, Getty Images Dan Patrick – metal head? It appears to be true as the former ESPN anchor and current radio sports talk and NBC football host recently showed his metal tendencies by coming out of a commercial break with Hatebreed frontman Jamey Jasta ‘s voice blaring to all his listeners. The host got into the music so much that he decided to shout Jasta’s lyrics as they hit the airwaves and debated whether or not he could pursue metal as a side career. “I could be one of those heavy metal guys I think,” explained Patrick. “I just don’t have the energy and I don’t have the hair where you just you’re whipping it. I don’t know if I have the energy to go [with] one of those, what are they, speed [metal]?” The song, for those who don’t recognize it, was penned specifically by the singer with his solo project Jasta for the Dan Patrick Show. It provides the theme music for Patrick “Seton” O’Connor’s ‘Stat of the Day’ segment on the radio program. The host has had a wide array of acts on his show, and metal has been represented over the years. In fact, GWAR ‘s Oderus Urungus turned in one of the more memorable appearances on the show. With Patrick and the recent John Clayton commercial for ESPN featuring him in a Slayer t-shirt, we’re wondering if and when we might see a metal sportscasters band forming. However, Clayton would have to clear it with his mom before rocking out with Patrick. Watch Dan Patrick Rock Out to Hatebreed [button href=”http://loudwire.com/hatebreed-finish-tracking-new-album/” title=”Next: Hatebreed Finish Tracking Next Album” align=”center”]

When it comes to 21st Century television, reality singing competitions have dominated the airwaves for well over a decade. The ratings for shows such as ‘American Idol,’ ‘The X Factor‘ and ‘The Voice,’ have all experienced great success, and whether or not you’re a dedicated viewer of these shows, there is one aspect of these programs we can all enjoy — epic failures. Due to monumentally awful and bizarre auditions,